Characters
Who is the king of the Danes at the beginning of the story?
Hrothgar
Where does Beowulf come from?
Geatland
What theme is shown through Beowulf’s fight against evil?
Good vs. Evil
What is alliteration?
Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words
Who kills Grendel’s mother in the poem?
Beowulf
Who stays by Beowulf’s side during the final battle?
Wiglaf
What monster attacks Heorot Hall?
Grendel
What does the dragon symbolize in the movie?
Legacy and consequence of sin
What poetic device is “whale-road” an example of?
Kenning
What does Beowulf do differently in the film?
Lies about killing Grendel’s mother
Who is portrayed as a seductive creature in the 2007 film?
Grendel’s mother
What is Beowulf’s final enemy?
The Dragon
Which theme is emphasized when Beowulf chooses to fight the dragon alone, even in old age?
Bravery and fate.
What is the function of a caesura in Old English poetry like Beowulf?
To create rhythm, divide lines, and allow emphasis or dramatic pause.
What is the dragon’s origin in the movie?
It is Beowulf’s son
Who challenges Beowulf’s story about swimming across the sea?
Unferth
In the film, what is Beowulf’s hidden secret?
He had a child with Grendel’s mother
What theme is symbolized by the treasure guarded by the dragon?
Greed, curse, materialism, and its destructive consequences
What makes Beowulf an epic poem?
Formal tone, heroic protagonist, legendary lands, supernatural battles.
How does the tone of the poem differ from the movie?
The poem is noble and heroic; the film is darker and psychological
Who becomes king after Beowulf’s death?
Wiglaf
What happens to Beowulf at the end of the movie?
He dies fighting the dragon and passes the crown to Wiglaf
What does water represent in the 2007 film?
Temptation, danger, secrets
What device is present in the phrase “his heart was heavy with sorrow”?
Alliteration and metaphor – "heart was heavy" is metaphorical, and repetition of /h/ is alliteration.
How does the portrayal of King Hrothgar differ between the poem and the film?
In the poem, he’s wise and honorable. In the film, he’s tormented by guilt , possibly Grendel’s father, and dies by suicide.